Southern Rural Water is committed to a sustainable business and environment.

Water

As a water supplier, we are constantly reminded of the need to manage water resources wisely for today and into the future.

Southern Rural Water was actively involved in developing the Central, Gippsland and Western Region Sustainable Water Strategies. We have also been actively involved in a range of other local and regional initiatives designed to achieve more efficient use and management of water:

Channel automation in the MID - designed to achieve the more efficient supply of water throughout the Macalister Irrigation District,

WID Recycled Water Scheme - supplying treated waste water from the Western Treatment Plant to the market gardens at Werribee South, and

Rural Water Awards - designed to raise customer awareness of efficient water use

Energy and greenhouse

The earth’s climate is changing with rising temperatures attributed to increased greenhouse emissions, which may in turn mean:

Victoria's water resources are likely to become increasingly vulnerable to climate change, due to projected drying trends over much of the state,

The demand for water may grow as a result of increasing population, warmer temperatures and higher evaporation rates,

Water quality may be affected by changes in the number and types of organisms, water temperature, carbon dioxide concentration, transportation of water sediment and chemicals, and the volume of water flow, and

Decreases in stream flow, impacts on coastal underground water and intertidal habitats, and increased salinity will be critical issues for the management of our water supply and natural resources.

Southern Rural Water is also responding to the challenge and is undertaking the following to reduce its greenhouse impacts:

we purchase accredited 'green' power for all of our offices,

we use videoconferencing to significantly reduce travel

we have developed vehicle purchasing guidelines to promote the use of more energy efficient vehicles,